new beginnings

As many of you already know, I started college in August of 2002. I started out well, but soon became caught up in all sorts of other things. I became extremely depressed and spiritually far from where I needed to be. I ended up failing several classes. I don't even remember taking most of them. I was just in a really bad place and ended up wasting my time and money on schooling that I wasn't taking seriously. I began to doubt the reasons why I was even getting a Biblical education. Seriously, what's a girl to do with a degree in Biblical Studies? I spoke to my counselor and she basically told me I was to marry someone in the ministry or become a church secretary. That just doesn't work for me. I ended up quitting school and moving back to Florida.

I had grown bitter from relationships gone sour...relationships with so called friends from the Bible college. When I needed someone to recognize the dark hole I had fallen into and reach out for me, there was no one and that hurt. I blamed them for everything. After 3 yrs in FL, I took one trip to Boston to see my sister graduate and it all changed. I remember sitting in the grand and historical Fanieul Hall watching her walk across that stage to get her diploma and I wanted it to be me. I wanted to finish what I had started. After talking to a couple from the school, the Sawyers, I began to realize I wanted more than to just finish. I wanted to regain my purpose. I knew God had called me to a specific task. I had lost sight of it for a while. Or maybe I just never found clarity on it.

I began to look at it from a whole new perspective. I decided instead of going to a Bible college in order to learn how to be in ministry, I was going to begin my ministry in Bible college. I wanted to be for others what I wanted so desperately when I first started back in 02-03. It was there during those moments that I found my direction. I love writing. I always have, but I've always done it as a hobby...for my eyes only. I realized that God wanted more from me. I realized that I could use my education in the Bible to be the base of my writing.

On Wednesday afternoon I walked across that very same platform in the historic Fanieul Hall in downtown Boston and received my degree. It has been a long time coming. I've learned so much a long the way. Yes, a lot of it was in the classroom, but most of it was not. I am so grateful God gave me a second chance.

I fly out to Boise, ID tomorrow. It will be a new beginning for me. I can't wait to start fresh. I can't wait to see what God has in store, what He will write in this new chapter in my life.